HB 280 Maryland House of Delegates · 2026 Regular Session

Health Insurance - Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders - Codification of Federal Requirements

HB 280 codifies Maryland’s health insurance requirements for mental health and substance use disorder coverage to align with federal parity laws. It requires health insurers to collect and report data on access to these services, explain differences in coverage rules, and comply with federal standards for equal treatment. The Maryland Insurance Commissioner will review insurer reports and address noncompliance. This bill directly affects health insurance companies and their policyholders seeking mental health or substance use disorder care.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Sep 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Apr 2026
Senate Passage
Apr 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Sep 16, 2025 Signed Apr 14, 2026
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What changed between versions

First - Health Insurance - Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders - Codification of Federal Requirements Third - Health Insurance - Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders - Codification of Federal Requirements · 5 edits
MODERATE
The bill text was reorganized to repeal and reenact existing insurance law sections rather than adding new ones. This structural change updates the bill's status to reflect it has been adopted, while the substantive definitions for mental health benefits and parity requirements remain consistent with federal standards.
Scope change
The bill's scope remains focused on codifying federal mental health parity requirements into Maryland law, but the mechanism changed from adding new sections to repealing and reenacting existing ones.
TECHNICAL

The bill's procedural status was updated to show it was adopted and assigned a chapter number, replacing previous draft markings.

The method of enacting the law changed from 'adding' to specific sections to 'repealing and reenacting' existing sections, likely to correct citation errors or align with current statutory structure.

Formatting and line numbering were adjusted throughout the document to reflect the new structure and adopted status.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'Mental health benefits' was restructured and clarified to explicitly exclude medical/surgical and substance use disorder benefits, ensuring these categories are treated separately under parity rules.

The definition of 'Parity Act classification' was updated to include specific benefit categories like emergency care and prescription drugs, clarifying which services must meet parity requirements.

Floor votes · House of Delegates Feb 23, 2026

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
14
Key actions
9
Committee
6
Apr 14, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by the Governor - Chapter 11
executive
Apr 7, 2026
Lower · Passed
Returned Passed
lower
Apr 6, 2026
Upper · Passed
Third Reading Passed
upper
Mar 31, 2026
Upper · Passed
Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed
upper
Mar 30, 2026
Upper · Passed
Favorable Report by Finance
upper
Mar 5, 2026
Committee
Referred Finance
upper
Mar 4, 2026
Lower · Passed
Third Reading Passed
lower
Mar 3, 2026
Lower · Passed
Favorable Adopted
lower
Mar 3, 2026
Lower · Passed
Favorable Report by Health
lower
Feb 23, 2026
House Of Delegates · Passed
House of Delegates Vote: pass (94-35-13)
house of delegates
Jan 14, 2026
Committee
First Reading Health
lower
Sep 16, 2025
Introduced
Pre-filed
lower
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.